Fitness treadmill

ABSTRACT

A fitness treadmill consists mainly of a base, two sliding rail sets and two stepping boards; each of the rail set is formed by two rails in symmetrical shape; each rail has an upper rail strip assembled on the lower rail strip and the upper and lower rail strips are implemented with one or more than one guiding section based on the stepping board moving method; whereas the two stepping boards are respectively installed with front rollers and rear rollers on the two sides for each of the stepping board set to be assembled to each sliding rail set so that the rear rollers are pressed against the upper rail strip and the front rollers are pressed against the lower rail strip for the front and rear rollers to roll along the upper and lower rails and guiding section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a fitness treadmill, particularly afitness treadmill structure design with special dual rail and steppingboard structure.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

The structural features of conventional treadmill is to install twopieces of movable stepping boards on the machine, allowing user toperform exercises similar to running and jogging while avoiding thevibration caused by impinge and resulting in burden to joints. However,there are several ways to drive the direction, height, or angle of thestepping boards. Some install weight distribution wheel at chosen place,and linking cranks are installed on both sides of the weightdistribution wheel. The stepping boards are then connected to the cranksand hence could cause feet exercise alternatively. Others install abobbing rod on both sides of the erecting pole of the machine. Thestepping boards are respectively pivoted at the bottom of the bobbingpole. Hence when stepping on the stepping boards the legs could exercisedue to the swinging motion. Still there is a treadmill install a curvedsingle rail before assembling the stepping boards on the rail presentingsliding motion so that user could step on it and exercises.

The above mentioned many treadmills of different kinds of structures.Their common problem is in that user cannot perform running exercise,particularly the sing curved rail and the swinging exercise structuresthat can only allow user to swing the leg. The muscles on the feet andlegs could not exert force and therefore hard to achieve the effect ofreal exercise. Whereas the treadmill installed with weight distributionwheel has complicated structure that is not only difficult to store awaybut also costs dearly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fitness treadmillthat makes use the upper rail, lower rail, and stepping board assembledto the upper and lower rails design so as to allow stepping boardperform to and fro rail with action similar to running in order toachieve the result of really exercising both feet as well as avoidingthe sport injury of knee burden. And with the upper and lower railsdesign it is possible to alter the shape of the rails as desired toachieve different exercise result.

The secondary purpose of the present invention is to provide a fitnesstreadmill design that is installed with two handrails for user to holdon and keep the body balanced. The two said handrails are connected tothe two sides of the base; each handrail is installed with a holdingsection for holding purpose, and a lateral bar is connected in betweenthe two handrails.

The other purpose of the present invention is to provide a fitnesstreadmill design that could install two rocking rods on the treadmill.The two said rocking rods are long rods that are pivoted at selectedplaces on the lateral bar between the two handrails. A pulling strip isinstalled at the bottom of each rocking rod so that one end of thepulling strip is pivoted to the rocking rod and the other end is pivotedto the stepping board. In other words, the two rocking rods and the twostepping boards are jointly connected so that when the hands are holdingthe rocking rods the effect of swinging both arms while running can beachieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the top perspective view of the overall structure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is the bottom perspective view of the overall structure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is the perspective view of the separate parts of the partialstructure of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is the side view of the overall structural features of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is the illustration of the handrails and rocking rods of thepresent invention at folded state.

FIG. 6 is the illustration of the pulling strip and sliding wheel of thepresent invention in action.

FIG. 7 is the illustration of the present invention in the actualapplication.

FIG. 8 is the second illustration of the upper sliding rail structure ofthe present invention.

FIG. 9 is yet another embodiment of the assembly method of the steppingboard of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the fitness treadmill of the presentinvention consists of a base 1, two sliding rail sets 2, and twostepping boards 3, and depending on the requirement of implementationtwo handrails 4 and two rocking rods 5 can be additionally installed,where

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the base 1 is for stabilizing the fitnesstreadmill and assembly of the sections described below comprising afront base 11 and a rear base 12. The said front base 11 consists of alateral strip 111; each of the two sides is pivoted to a connectingboard 112; inner side of the pivoted connecting board and the center ofthe lateral strip 111 is installed with a rail fixture 113; said railfixture 113 can be in the form of a plate, each of the top ends can beinstalled with a U shape fixing part 114 that allows the upper rail 211and the lower rail described above can be connected to the selected areaof the fixing part 114. And behind the lateral strip 111 between each ofthe rail fixture 113 is installed with a pulley seat 115 correspondingto the stepping board 3; each of the two pulley seats is installed witha vertical pulley 116 and a horizontal pulley 117; apiece of pullingrope 118 is installed between the vertical and horizontal pulleys 116 &117 through the two pulley seats 115 wherein the two free ends of thepulling rope 118 can be extended to each stepping board 3 forconnection. The said rear base 12 can consist of just a lateral strip121; the lateral strip is installed with several protruding plates 122for the rail to connect to.

FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the two sliding rail sets 2, wherein eachof the rail sets consists of two rails 21 in parallel with each other.Each rail 21 is installed with an upper rail 211 laid on top of a lowerrail 212. The said upper rail 211 is made of bent electrolytic steelpipe. There is one or more than one guiding sections 211A on the bend isused for guiding a stepping board 3 at a specific sliding angle. FIG. 1and FIG. 4 show the physical shape of the said guiding section 211A,which constitute the front section extending upward of the rail 211forming a curve at the top. The foremost point extending downward, whichis the guiding section 211A in the shape of V. The rear section of theupper rail 211 can also be extended horizontally. The said lower rail212 can be composed of roast paint steel pipe, and also can be bent withone or above one guiding sections 212A. Again, the front end of eachlower rail 212 can be installed with a front stopping part 213 and aselected part of the rear section of the upper rail 211 is installedwith a rear stopping part 214 for the traveling end of the steppingboard 3 described below. With the two sliding sets 2 installing on thebase 1, the front ends of upper and lower rails 211 & 212 are connectedto the rail fixture 113 of the front base 11, and the rear end isconnected to the protruding plate 122 of the rear base 12, forming thestructure of the two sliding rail sets 2 cross connecting to the frontand rear base 11 & 12.

FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 respectively shows the stepping board 3constitutes the board 31 for the foot to step on, the front and each ofthe rear of the two sides of the board 31 are installed with rollers,i.e. comprising two front rollers 32 and two rear rollers 32; the frontand rear rollers 32 & 33 can be formed by connecting axes 33 & 33′, thenthe axes 33 & 33′ again connected to board 31 into rotating condition;also the bottom on the two sides of the board 31 of each steeping board3 respectively can be installed with a hooking strip 34. With this, thetwo stepping boards 3 are assembled on to the two sliding rail sets 2,wherein the two rear rollers 32′ are pressed against the upper rail bar211 and the front rollers are pressed against the lower rail bar 212;the said hooking bar 34 is hooked to the bottom of the lower rail bar toprevent the stepping board 3 from pricking upward; and each of the twofree ends of the above stated pulling rope 118 is hooked to the bottomof the stepping board 3, so that the sliding mode of the two steppingboards 3 is restrained by the pulling rope 118 (such as shown in FIG. 6and FIG. 7) presenting the to and fro sliding movement. In this way, thestepping board 3 is slanting at an ergonomic angle and when the frontand rear rollers 32 & 32′ are rolling on the upper and lower rail bards211 & 212 the stepping board 3 can vary its angle according to the abovestated guiding section 211A & 212A so that when the user is stepping onthe machine the naturally running movement could meet the ergonomicaction (as shown in FIG. 7).

As shown in FIG. 1 & FIG. 3, the two handrails 4 can be of steel orother piping material, consisting of a holding section 41 bending at theupper section and a pivoting section 42 close to the bottom end; the twohandrail 4 pivoting section 42 is pivoted to the pivoting board 112 onthe two sides of the front base 11 in the form of rotating state, and atthe location close to the pivoting section 42 a fast rotating fixture 43is installed so that the handrail 4 can be fixed at a proper angle. Andat the selected symmetrical section of the handrail 4 can be connectedwith a lateral bar, the body of the lateral bar 44 is installed with twopivoting base 441 for connecting to the rocking pole described below.

FIG. 1 & FIG. 3 show two rocking poles 5. Each of the rocking pole 5 areboth made of steel pipe of other pipe material; the body of the rockingpole 5 is installed with a pivoting part 51, wherein the pivoting part51 is connected to the pivoting base 441 of the lateral bar 44 statedabove to form swinging state; the upper section of the rocking pole 5 isa holding section 52, whereas close to the bottom end each is installedwith a pulling strip 53 of metallic material, so that one end of thepulling strip 53 is pivoted to the rocking pole 5 and the other end ispivoted to the bottom of the stepping board 3, so that the two rockingpole 5 and the two stepping boards 3 constitute linking action. When thehand is holding the holding section 52 of the rocking pole 5 and thefeet are stepping on the stepping boards 3 for sliding action the effectof arm swinging action while running can be created (as shown in FIG.7).

With the above structural characteristic design of base 1, sliding railset 2, stepping board 3, handrail 4, and rocking pole stated above,particularly the structure of the said two sliding rail set 2 andstepping board, the fitness treadmill of the present invention iscreated, allowing user to engage in the indoor running exercise. As thesole of the foot palm is always in contact with the stepping board 3when using the present invention, unlike the conventional treadmillwhere the foot might knock against the track, therefore the burden ofthe knee and ankle joint could be avoided and the sport injury can beprevented. In particular, each sliding rail 21 of the two sliding railset 2 of the present invention consists of an upper rail strip 211 and alower rail strip 212. Therefore, the design of the present invention isnot only in the light and simple structure and relatively more economicin manufacturing cost but also in bent-knee stepping exercise that couldfurther manifest the performance of fitness exercise. More over, as therocking pole of the present invention can be pivoted to the lateral bar44 and the lateral bar 44 can be connected to handrail. The saidhandrail 4 adopts the method of pivot connection to the front base 11close to the bottom, hence after loosening of fast rotating fixture 43the two handrail 4 and the two rocking pole 5 could be folded back (asshown in FIG. 5) in order to reduce its size for the ease of storage.

In addition, the characteristic of the present invention is in that thestructure of the said two sliding rail set 2 and the structure ofstepping board 3 and assembly style design. However, the embodiment isnot limited to the above examples and could also change its shapeaccording to the need of the exercise, etc. As shown in FIG. 8, thefront section of the said rail strip 211 can be installed as the firstguiding section 211B with the shape bending upward, whereas the rearsection can also be installed as the second guiding section 211C bendingupward; also, the front section of the lower rail strip 212 constitutesthe first guiding section 212B with the same curve, whereas the rearsection of the second guiding section 212C is horizontal. In this waythe stepping board 3 assembled according to above example can generateanother running action effect (such as the angle of the two steepingboard 3 shown in FIG. 8); or as shown in FIG. 9 the assembly method ofthe said steeping board 3 also can be changed to rear roller 32′ pressedagainst the lower rail strip 212, wherein the structure of the frontroller 32 pressing against the upper rail strip 211 can also achieve thesame effect as the above stated structure.

1. A fitness treadmill with characteristics comprising a base, twosliding rail set, and two stepping boards, wherein: a base, which is theassembly for stabilizing treadmill and providing two sliding rail setinstalled on its top; two sliding rail set, where in each sliding railconsists of two rail in symmetrical shape; each rail consists of anupper rail assembled on the lower rail, with a gap formed between theupper and lower rails; said upper rail is bent with one or more than oneguiding section for guiding stepping board sliding angle; said lowerrail is also bent with one or more than one guiding section for guidingstepping board sliding angle; with this the two rails constitute asymmetrical rail set for the two rail set to be assembled on the base;two stepping board, wherein each is a board installed with two frontroller and two rear roller; the two stepping boards are assembled on thetwo sliding rail set so that the two rear roller pressed against on theupper rail strip forming connection, whereas the two front rollerspressed against the lower rail strip forming connection; the front andrear rollers could roll on the respective upper and lower rail stripsfor each stepping board to generate variations in angle during slidingmovement.
 2. The fitness treadmill claimed in 1, wherein the said baseconsists of a front base and a rear base; the front base constitutes alateral strip; the each of two sides of the lateral strip is installedwith a pivoting board; the inner side of each pivoting board and thecenter of the lateral strip is installed with a rail strip fixture whichallows the upper rail connects to the front of the lower rail. And therear base also constitutes with a lateral strip; the lateral strip isinstalled with several protruding plates for the upper trail strip toconnect to the rear end of the lower trail strip.
 3. The fitnesstreadmill claimed in 2, wherein the back of the lateral strip of thesaid front base is installed with two pulley seats corresponding to twostepping boards; each pulley seat is installed with a vertical pulleyand horizontal pulley. And a piece of rope is installed through the twopulley seats between the vertical and horizontal pulleys so that the twofree ends of the pulling rope extends to each stepping board forconnection.
 4. The fitness treadmill claimed in 2, wherein the said railstrip fixture is in plate shape and forming U-shape fixing section atthe top as the fixing part for the connection of upper rail strip andlower rail strip.
 5. The fitness treadmill claimed in 1, wherein theshape of the guiding section of the said upper rail is to extend thefront section of the upper rail strip forming a curve shape at the top,and the foremost end extends downward and bent into guiding section inV-shape, whereas the rear end of the upper rail strip is extendinghorizontally.
 6. The fitness treadmill claimed in 1, wherein the guidingsection of the said lower trail strip is the front section of the lowerrail strip extending upward in curve shape.
 7. The fitness treadmillclaimed in 1, wherein the said upper rail is installed with the firstguiding section and the second guiding section; the shape of the firstguiding section is to bend the front section of the upper rail stripupward in curve shape whereas the shape of the second guiding section isto bend the rear section of the upper rail strip upward in curve shape.8. The fitness treadmill claimed in 1, wherein the front section of thesaid lower rail is installed with a front stopping part that uses thefront and back stopping-parts as the stopping point for the roller'smovement.
 9. The fitness treadmill claimed in 1, wherein the bottom ofeach of the said stepping board is installed with a hooking strip forhooking the bottom of the lower rail strip.
 10. The fitness treadmillclaimed in 1, wherein the two front rollers and the two rear rollersrespectively are connected with an axis for the connection of axis andstepping board to form rotating state.
 11. The fitness treadmill claimedin 1, wherein the two handrails can be installed; each handrail can bemade of steel pipe comprising a holding section at the bending part ofthe upper section and a pivoting section near the bottom end so that thepivoting sections of the two handrails connect to the pivoting boards onthe two sides of the front base to become rotating form, and near thepivoting section a fast rotating fixture is installed for the handrailto be fixed at proper angle; and between the selected locations of thesymmetrical parts of the two handrails a lateral rod is connected; thebody of the lateral rod is installed with two pivoting seats forconnecting to the rocking pole described below.
 12. The fitnesstreadmill claimed in 1, wherein two rocking poles are installed; each ofthe rocking poles is long pole of steel pipe or other pipe material; thebody of the rocking pole is installed with a pivoting part for thepivoting part to connect to the pivoting seat of the above statedlateral rod to form swinging state; the upper section of the rockingpole is a holding section, whereas near the bottom end of each isinstalled with a metallic pulling strip for one end of the pulling stripto pivot to the rocking pole and the other end pivot to the bottom ofthe stepping board will cause the two rocking poles and the two steppingboards to move jointly. When the hand is holding the holding section ofrocking pole and the foot is stepping on the board for sliding movement,the arm swinging effect during running can be achieved.